The Caliber is Chrysler’s first compact to offer all-wheel drive, stability control, standard side-curtain airbags and a slew of innovative interior features. Among those features, there’s the optional ChillZone, a mini fridge tucked into the glovebox to cool beverages in air-conditioner-equipped Calibers; lighted front cupholders; a removable self-recharging flashlight in the headliner of R/T and SXT models; and connectivity for electronic devices like the iPod.

Our test car, an R/T model, featured the strongest of three available four-bangers: a 2.4-liter, 16-valve, 172-hp engine with dual variable valve timing. We tested with the five-speed manual, but there’s also an available continuously variable transmission for the R/T model.

The Caliber sports a colorful interior with a handsome dash layout. A 120-mph speedometer, centered on the instrument panel, is flanked by a tach that redlines at 6400 rpm. Some of the plastics used in the interior, however, felt particularly cheap. And the Caliber has one of those shifters that sprout backward out of the center console instead of up from the tunnel. One of our testers said, “The shifter feels a bit disconnected. I’d call it low-to-medium clunky.”

Over regular roads, we found the Caliber had a good amount of road isolation. It felt tight and rattle-free over moderate bumps, and we found no serious cabin rattles on the freeway or over coarser pavement. But when driven on rough surfaces, a few interior rattles emerged and moderate tire noise could be detected. A fair amount of wind noise leaked in at highway speeds, at times sounding almost like a turbocharger.

At the track, that clunky shifter posed no impediment to quick shifts and never once hung up between gates. In straight-line testing, we appreciated the engine’s low-end torque. But at 8.82 seconds from 0 to 60 mph, the Caliber couldn’t match the Chevrolet HHR LT’s best, falling short by 0.45 second. In the quarter-mile, the Caliber managed 16.62 seconds at 84.8 mph, again trailing the HHR by 0.88 second.

The Caliber required more cooling than most vehicles we’ve run through our tests. Time would creep up after every run, but a few cooling laps would bring times back down. The problem was the car usually needed a full four cooling laps for one good quarter-mile run. That not only meant track testing took an inordinate amount of time, it called out the car’s relatively weak stock radiator.

During braking tests, the Caliber produced a large amount of brake smoke after only the second 80-to-0-mph stop. Though no brake distress was noted, a bit of rumbling emerged when the heat built up. We managed a best stopping distance of 133 feet from 60 mph, which bested the Chevy HHR’s 135. A recently tested Ford Fusion performed similarly, requiring 132 feet.

Through the slalom, the steering felt moderately slow to respond. Our best runs were achieved by keeping on the power the whole way through, though occasionally we found the inside front wheel would lift off the ground. With its quickest slalom run of 43.3 mph, the Caliber finally put room between it and the HHR, which managed only 41.9 mph.

On the skidpad, the Caliber mushed its way around innocuously enough, with predictable front-drive feel. Maintaining a line around the circle’s 200-foot diameter simply called for cranking the wheel, waiting for the tires to generate their side force, and then holding steady. Its 0.76 gs of lateral acceleration doesn’t come close to being sporty, but it does match up well with the HHR’s 0.77 g.

(Take heart, Mopar fans: The Caliber R/T’s faster brother—the SRT4—will arrive in late 2007. Dodge’s Street and Racing Technology engineers took the R/T’s engine and fortified it to 300 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, and put in a six-speed manual, a Torsen limited-slip torque-sensing diff and a sporty suspension and brakes.)

Most owners wrote to us saying they enjoy the features of their Calibers and like its blend of gadgetry and utility for the price. One tester agreed, saying, “The price is right, and as an entry-level car, it ain’t half bad. I would take a Caliber all day long over a Toyota Yaris.” So while no sports car, the Caliber easily tops its Neon predecessor in utility and economy.

After 20 years of driving pickups, I tried something different, though I’m not sure this was the right car to transition to. Some things surface after a while: The storage area floor is slick and everything slides around; there’s no netting to secure stuff; no map pockets on the seatbacks, and the cubbies are too small to be useful. Some trim pieces are already loose. The front-seat hardware sticks out. On the other hand, it handles well. Back-seat passengers like the huge legroom and the adjustable reclining back rests. I like that an owner can change the programming of some features without going to the dealership (although mine has a great staff). Nick Emmanouilides, Sparks, Nev.

The Caliber fits our needs. It is fun to drive, gets decent fuel economy, is roomy, useful, looks good and performs well. It is an excellent value, and approaching 8500 miles it has been trouble free. We traded an ’05 Kia Sportage. If Dodge had the Caliber in ’05, we would have bought it instead of the Kia. Bill Rotureau, Spanish Fort, Ala.

I like that it’s an affordable awd car. My wife and two dogs find the car comfortable. With the 2.4-liter I4 and CVT, the car has plenty of power on the highway. Mileage on our trips averages 29 to 31 mpg at 70 mph, according to the dashboard’s instant mpg. I can’t say anything bad about it except there’s a lot of plastic inside: dash, door panels, etc. The ChillZone cooler is a bit silly, but it’s good for storage. I live in northwest New Jersey, so awd was a major item for driving in snow. Overall, I’m satisfied with the car. Dennis DeBalfo, Hewitt, N.J.

My wife and I are impressed with our R/T. It’s comfortable on long trips, has good acceleration and excellent braking. It’s fun to drive the twisties using the CVT in manual mode. The transmission keeps the motor in the revs and reminds me of a motorcycle’s powerband. We both like its looks and the way it stands out. The door-lock knobs hang up in colder weather, and we both wish there was more than one keyhole on the body. Brian Zerkel, Springfield, Ohio

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Autoweek participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.